October 11, 2012
Iron Maori challengers swelling
Entries are flooding in for this year’s Iron Maori challenge in the Hawkes bay.
Co-organiser Heather Skipworth says there are already 2130 registrations for the December event, compared with just 300 for the first challenge in 2009.
She says about half are local, with the rest from across New Zealand and an event where a few Maori returning from overseas to take part.
She says the triathlon format appeals to Maori, because while they get recognised for individual effort, there are also opportunities for group training where everyone keeps an eye on one another.
She says it’s having a real impact on the lifestyles of whanau across the motu.